October 13 - Bratislava

Slovakia, situated in Central Europe, has a complex history shaped by various empires and shifting borders. For centuries, it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. When the Turks captured Budapest, Bratislava became the capital of Hungary. After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy at the end of the First World War, Slovakia became a part of the newly founded Czechoslovakia in 1918. This new nation brought together Czechs and Slovaks, though tensions about political and cultural autonomy remained. Leading up to the Second World War, growing nationalist sentiment and external pressures contributed to the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1939, when Slovakia fell under the control of Nazi Germany as a result of the Munich Accords.

After the Second World War, Slovakia was reunited with the Czech lands to re-form Czechoslovakia in 1945. The nation soon fell under Soviet influence, becoming a communist state as part of the Eastern Bloc. During this period, political and economic life was tightly controlled, and dissent was suppressed. The Prague Spring of 1968, a brief period of political liberalization, was met with a swift invasion by Warsaw Pact troops, including Soviet forces, which brought reforms to an abrupt end. Despite these challenges, Slovak identity continued to develop, eventually leading to the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, when Slovakia emerged as an independent republic.

All of the are work is very cold and austere, owning to the influence of the USSR.

WW2 Memorial to Russian soldiers

Today, Slovakia boasts a vibrant market economy that has experienced growth since its transition to democracy and independence. As a member of the European Union, the country has benefited from increased foreign investment, particularly in the automotive and technology sectors. With a population of 5,000,000 they produce 1,000,000 cars annually. While Slovakia continues to modernize its infrastructure and expand its industries, it faces ongoing challenges such as low wages and labour market shortages.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is nestled along the banks of the Danube River near the borders with Austria and Hungary. Known for its picturesque old town with baroque architecture, it has a vibrant nightlife. It is the country’s largest city with a population of 500,000 and serves as its political, and cultural hub of Slovakia, housing major universities, museums, and theatres. It has history of classical music that comes close to equaling that of Vienna.

UFO Bridge over the Danube

Their relationship with classical music and theatre has resulted in amazing facilities. The opera house and the national theatre are very imposing structures. The old town is quite condensed, maybe 5 street by 7 streets. Other than above mentioned facilities, it seems to be filled with restaurants and bars. Even in this small area, with the aid of Google Maps, we managed to get lost on our way back to the boat.

National Theater

Our guide turned out be a hockey fan, which worked well because most of our group are Canadians. She said that when Slovakia is in the World Championship, people are glued to their TVs. If Slovakia is eliminated, then they cheer for the Czech Republic. She then made a big mistake, she compared this to the Canada/USA rivalry and asked if we would cheer for the USA if Canada was eliminated. Of course, she got a resounding and loud No Way!

There was one piece of unique art work in the middle of the street,

Men at work